Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-
by Cloud Cetra
Summary: The oldest tale of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series. The untold past of Final Fantasy VII will finally be revealed! Live the adventures of SOLDIER operative Zack Fair. Also, learn the history behind on how Cloud Strife came into possession of the iconic weapon, the Buster Sword.
1. Introduction

The world is caught in a struggle between the people's thirst for energy and their yearning to be free. The land lies on the brink of crisis and the only thing growing as fast as the Shinra Electric Power Company's riches is its list of enemies. Thanks to its monopoly on mako energy and growing influence across the planet, Shinra has become the envy-and target-of everyone. As the sole excavator and purveyor of the world's one true natural resource, Shinra is not about to let anything get in the way of its expansion. But this sort of unbridled greed can only run unchecked for so long before rebellious factions take root.

Shinra is no stranger to violent protest and has historically countered any uprising with its own private army. But this is no longer enough-Shinra needs SOLDIER.

SOLDIER operatives are the company's elite guard and, equally important, have become the face of Shinra. Organized into three classes, it is the hope and dream of newcomers to one day ascend to SOLDIER 1st Class and be mentioned in the same breath as the legendary Sephiroth. SOLDIER 1st Class operatives not only defend the company, but are a boon to public relations. Members like Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis even have their own fan clubs!

It was this desire to one day become a hero like Sephiroth that drew young Zack to SOLDIER. At age 16 he's only a 2nd Class operative and still receives regular training and mentoring from his friend Angeal. Angeal accompanies Zack on his training missions and teaches him in the ways of combat, concentration, and honor. The word honor gets thrown around rather carelessly by some, but not Angeal. When he says it, he means it-and Zack knows it.

As Zack's role in SOLDIER evolves and his missions grow in importance, he begins to uncover the most sinister of secrets within Shinra. And yet, even when faced with horrifying truths that make him question his own origins, it is the mentoring of Angeal that keeps him centered and focused. He is SOLDIER and nothing will ever change that.


	2. Prologue

The stars of the night sky shined brightly over the city of Midgar, most of the city still under construction at this time. Everything was quiet, except for a train speeding down a set of train tracks at high speed, a Shinra helicopter following behind in hot pursuit.

The helicopter pilot relayed the current situation: _Wutai troops have hijacked the Shinra Express MK93 II. The train is currently heading to Midgar Sector 8, a SOLDIER operative will be inserted to neutralize the situation. We are to proceed as scheduled, commence mission i mark. Begin mission. Operative is ready for insertion._

The door on the side of the helicopter, and SOLDIER 2nd Class Zack Fair appeared in the opening, ready to get the mission.

"The train has been overrun by Wutai troops. Eliminate them, and regain control of the train."

"Oh yeah!"

"Get serious!"

Zack jumps out of the moving helicopter, and onto the runaway train below. Zack rises to his feet proudly, a look of determination appears on his face.

"Zack!" Zack turns around, as his mentor SOLDIER 1st Class Angeal appears, and walks towards him.

"Zack, focus!" Angeal orders, as Zack looks at him with a stern look on his face. "There are no Shinra troops on this train. Understood?"

With a nod, Zack starts to make his way towards the front of the train. Zack lands on top of one of the train cars, when all of a sudden, bullets begin to shoot up from below left and right. Zack tried his best to dodge the hail of gunfire, but looses his balance and falls forward, a stray bullet narrowly misses hitting his hand.

"Hello to you, too!" Zack shouts, as he gets up and continues to press on again. More gunfire begins again, but Zack is too fast for them to cause him any trouble.

On one of the train cars farther up, Shinra troops begin to appear on top of the train. Zack remembered Angeal that there weren't any Shinra troops on the train, but this didn't bother him as all Zack saw was cannon fodder for a SOLDER 2nd Class operative. Zack pulled out his sword.

"Come and get it!" Zack shouted, as he began to hack and slash his way through the first wave of soldiers.

Zack pushed his way through wave upon wave of Shinra troops, where to he encountered a squad of Shinra troopers armed with rocket launchers. Zack knew there was no way of even getting close to them. Suddenly, Zack noticed a hole in the scaffolding above. Zack took a running and jumped through the opening just as they fired their launchers. The rockets exploded below, and the troops watched as Zack soared high above them.

"SOLDIER 2nd Class Zack, on the job!" Zack shouted as he appeared out of the other side, and plunged his sword into the coupling that connected the engine to the train cars. Zack jumped onto the engine and watched as the train cars carrying the Shinra troops began to slow down.

The Shinra helicopter following above radioed in: _Train MK93 II re-routed to Sector 1 Station near Mako Reactor 1. Proceed to mission phase 2 and change surveillance rank…_

Zack jumped off of the train and had a look around the empty, quiet train station. When his phone rang.

"Zack speaking."

"Making progress, Zack?" Angeal asked.

"What's going on, Angeal?" Zack asked, also wanting to know why there were a huge number of Shinra troops, but hardly any sign of Wutai troops. "Why are we fighting Shinra troops?"

"They're Wutai troops in disguise." Angeal explained, "Now, head to the open area above."

"Towards Sector 8?" Zack replied.

"Yes but first you have to clear a path." Angeal replied.

"Clear a path? What do you mean?" Zack asked.

"You'll see what I mean. Be careful." Angeal explained.

At that moment, more Wutai troops disguised as Shinra troops appeared, and began to fire upon Zack.

"So I can cut loose right?" Zack asked.

"Use some discretion." Angeal replied.

Zack put away his phone and pulled out his sword and said, "It's showtime!"

Zack began his assault on the impostors, it didn't take long to eliminate them. Zack pulled out his phone again to call Angeal, who must have been watching him from somewhere in secret.

"Well, how'd I do?" Zack asked.

"Not to bad." Angeal replied.

"Piece of cake!" Zack replied proudly, "I'll make 1st in no time!"

"Go up the stairs at the end of the platform." Angeal ordered.

Zack made his way to the stairs leading towards Sector 8 and said, "You got it!"

Zack put his phone away, made his was up the stairs, and pressed on. Along the way, a lot of the Midgar citizens were running towards him. Zack went to investigate and when he rounded the corner, he found himself face to face with a behemoth!

"Now, this maybe a challenge." Zack said as he grabbed his sword.

The behemoth lunged at Zack, but Zack moved to the left, and slashed it's left leg. The behemoth road in pain. This gave Zack an opportunity to get behind it, and land some critical blows to its back. Within no time, Zack managed to kill the behemoth. Zack had no time to relax, for a blade appeared right next to his neck.

"Showing your back to the enemy… Overconfidence will destroy you."

"I know, Angeal. I know." Zack said, as he raised his hands up in surrender and turned around, expecting to see Angeal. Instead, he found someone he didn't expect, Sephiroth! Zack gasped, "Wh-what is this?"

Zack had almost no time to react when Sephiroth started attacking him. Zack tried his best to parry the attacks from Sephiroth's sword.

"Damn it, you're not the only hero!" Zack explained.

"It's over." Sephiroth replied.

Zack tried to retaliate, but Sephiroth pushed with so much force, that he managed to brake Zack's sword. Zack was thrown back due to the force of the attack. Angeal, was watching everything that had happened from a safe distance.

"Impossible!" Angeal shouted as he ran as fast as he could to the aid of his pupil.

Sephiroth made his was towards to a downed and defenseless Zack. Zack looked as Sephiroth as he readied to finish him off. Zack closed his eyes, his life flashing before his eyes, waiting for the blade to pierce his heart, but Zack felt nothing. So, Zack opened his eyes to see Sephiroth's blade over his head, the sword being supported by his broken sword. Angeal made it just in time. Angeal looked at Zack and began to slowly pull back the broken sword.

"Thanks, Angeal." Zack said as he sat up.

Angeal got up and looked at Sephiroth. He pulled out his phone, and selected an option. All of a sudden the area they were in began to break down, Sephiroth began to break down as well. Before long, Zack and Angeal were in the training room on the SOLDIER Floor.

"Training's over." Angeal explained.

"Wha? Why?" Zack asked, as he got back up to his feet and looked at Angeal, who showed him his broken sword.

"You serious?" Zack said with a surprised look on his face, and throwing the goggles to the ground. "I was just getting warmed up!"

Angeal gave Zack's broken sword back to him. Zack let out a huge sigh, as Angeal walked past him.

"Zack. Embrace your dreams."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Zack asked.

"If you want to be a hero you need to have dreams...and honor."

With that, Angeal left the room. Zack was left scratching his head wondering what Angeal meant as the door closed behind him.


	3. Zack's New Assignment

Quite some time has passed back at the Shinra Building since Zack's terrible performance during the training session with Angeal. Zack began doing his normal routine of squats on the SOLDIER Floor, starting to grow impatient at the lack of assignments and the recent in training exercises. Kunsel, a SOLDIER 2nd Class and friend, notices that something's bothering him.

"Hey Zack, you seem a little on edge." Kunsel says as he sits down on the steps next to Zack.

"Is it that obvious?" Zack replies. "All this training and no assignments. Like they're hanging me out to dry. You must be pretty busy with everyone off base."

"Off-base?" Kunsel replied, looking a little confused. Then it occurred to him that Zack must've not heard about what has happened. "Wait, haven't you heard? There's been a mass desertion at SOLDIER."

Upon hearing this, Zack stopped doing squats and looked over at his friend a look of surprise came over Zack's face.

"It appears one of the 1sts deserted." Kunsel explained, "He took a bunch of 2nds and 3rds with him, too. Nobody knows why he left, or what he's up to. This mass desertion's the reason your training's on hold."

"Head's up, a 1st!" Kunsel exclaimed, just as a SOLDIER 1st Class operative, who Zack recognized as Angeal, came walking towards them.

"Zack, new assignment." Angeal announced.

"Woo! Finally!" Zack replied with delight. "Some real action!"

"This will be your show." Angeal explained.

"Yes!" Zack replied, trying to hold back his excitement.

Report to Director Lazard in the briefing room. We'll give you the details." Angeal answered, as he made his way to the briefing room.

When Zack arrived in the briefing room's conference area, he finds Angeal and Director Lazard, who he has never met before, are waiting to get Zack's mission briefing underway. The man gets up, and introduces himself to Zack.

"Zack. It's good to finally meet face to face. Lazard, Director of SOLDIER." Lazard replies as he extends his hand for a handshake.

"Heya." Zack replies, and shakes his hand.

"On to buisness." Lazard explains, as he begins typing on the computer in front of him, and brings up a bio on the projection screen in front of them. Underneath the profile image reads 'M.I.A. - Missing In Action'.

"SOLDIER 1st Class Genesis. A month ago, he went missing during a mission in Wutai. Know anything about this?" Lazard asked.

"Not much." Zack replied. "All I heard that he deserted, and that he took a bunch of 2nds and 3rds with him, that's all Kunsel explained to me."

"The mission is currently stuck in limbo." Lazard explained."That's why we've decided to send you."

"Uh, to Wutai? To finish his mission?" Zack replied with a confused look over his face.

"Yes. This War has gone on for long enough." Lazard explained.

"I've recommended you for 1st." Angeal announced.

A look of euphoria came over Zack's face, who couldn't hold back the excitement from what his mentor just said.

"Angeal! I love you man!" Zack shouted, as he ran over and started to bear hug his mentor. "Ang-"

"Don't make me regret this, Zack." Angeal responds as he pushes Zack off of him.

"Sir!" Zack responds.

"Once you're packed, you'll leave at once." Angeal explained.

"I'll be joining you as well. I'm counting on you." Lazard added.

"Sir!" Zack replied as he stood at attention.

"By the way, what is your dream? "To become 1st"… is it?" Lazard asked.

"No..." Zack replied as he thought for a moment. "To become a hero!"

"Ah, good!" Lazard replied. "Unattainable dreams are the best kind."

"Uh, thanks?" Zack responded, not knowing if Lazard was being serious or sarcastic.

Without further delay, Angeal, Lazard, and Zack made their way up to the helipad atop the Shinra Building, where a helicopter waited to take them to Wutai. The three men boarded the craft, and it took them off into the night sky to their area of opertion.


End file.
